LAC 61:I.1132 — Computation of Net Apportionable Income from Louisiana Sources

A. General
1. From the total gross apportionable income there shall be deducted all expenses, losses and other deductions except federal income taxes, allowable under this Chapter, which are directly attributable to such income, and there also shall be deducted a ratable portion of allowable deductions, except federal income taxes, which are not directly attributable to any item or class of gross income. Direct and indirect expenses attributed to total allocable income derived from foreign sources, for federal purposes, are not deductible in arriving at total net apportionable income. Expenses sourced pursuant to federal law and regulations to allocable income from foreign sources are presumed to be attributed to such income.
2. R.S. 47:287.94 provides two methods for computing the amount of net apportionable income from Louisiana sources, viz., the apportionment method and the separate accounting method. The apportionment method must be used unless it produces a manifestly unfair result and the conditions prescribed by R.S. 47:287.94 are met. Where the apportionment method is utilized, the apportionment percentage must be applied to the total apportionable net income without exception. For rules pertaining to the determination of the apportionment percentage refer to §1134.
B. Separate Accounting Method; Permission Obtained from Secretary. Any taxpayer desiring to use the separate accounting method in determining the portion of the total net apportionable income derived from Louisiana sources must first obtain permission from the secretary to use that method. A written request for such permission should be submitted to the secretary not more than 30 days after the close of the taxable year for which the first use of the separate accounting method is to be made if the permission is granted. The secretary will grant such permission if the taxpayer demonstrates to his satisfaction that the apportionment method as applied to the business operations of the taxpayer would produce a manifestly unfair result, that the separate accounting method produces a fair and equitable determination of the amount of net income taxable by Louisiana, and that the other conditions of R.S. 47:287.94 are met. The application of the taxpayer must be accompanied by the following information:
1. a complete description of the nature of the business operations of the taxpayer in Louisiana;
2. a complete description of the nature of the business operations of the taxpayer in other states;
3. a comprehensive statement as to the sources of goods or commodities sold by the taxpayer in Louisiana;
4. a comprehensive statement as to the disposition of goods or commodities produced by the taxpayer in Louisiana;
5. a computation for the preceding taxable year showing the Louisiana net apportionable income on the apportionment basis and on the separate accounting basis;
6. a statement of the particular circumstances in the taxpayer's business operations and the particular factors or elements in the apportionment formula which give rise to the difference between the amounts of Louisiana net apportionable income as computed under the two methods;
7. a statement as to whether the circumstances, factors, and elements mentioned in §1132.B.6 are relatively permanent so that the two methods would reasonably be expected to yield similar differences in results each year, or whether in the ordinary course of the taxpayer's business those circumstances have changed from time-to-time and may be expected to do so in the future; and
8. any other information which the taxpayer may consider pertinent.
C. Separate Accounting of Apportionable Income
1. When the separate accounting method is used, the net apportionable income taxable in Louisiana shall be determined by deducting from the gross apportionable income from sources in Louisiana all costs and expenses directly attributable to such income and a ratable part of overhead expenses and other expenses which are attributable in part to the Louisiana gross apportionable income.
2. When Louisiana net apportionable income is determined on the separate accounting method, interest expense applicable to Louisiana gross apportionable and allocable income shall be deducted from such gross income for the purposes of determining Louisiana net apportionable and allocable income or loss. The amount of interest expense applicable to Louisiana gross apportionable and allocable income shall be determined by multiplying total interest expense by a ratio, the numerator of which is the average value of assets in Louisiana and the denominator of which is the average value of all assets of the taxpayer.
3. For the purposes of this Paragraph, value to be used and average value mean the same as defined in §1130.B.6 and 7. Special rules as provided in §1130.B.11 also apply to this Section.
4. When Louisiana net apportionable income is determined on the separate accounting method, overhead expense shall be deducted from Louisiana gross apportionable income for the purposes of determining Louisiana net apportionable income or loss. The amount of such overhead expense shall be determined by multiplying total overhead expense attributable to gross apportionable income by a ratio, the numerator of which is the amount of direct cost incurred in the production of Louisiana gross apportionable income determined on a separate accounting method and the denominator of which is total direct cost incurred in the production of gross apportionable income from all sources. For the purpose of this Paragraph, the secretary is authorized to adjust the amount of overhead expense allocated to Louisiana gross apportionable income if he determines that such action is necessary in order to clearly reflect Louisiana apportionable net income. For rules pertaining to the determination of the amount of overhead expense attributable to gross allocable income refer to §1130.B.8, 9 and 10.
5. Income from Natural Resources. If the separate accounting method is used by a taxpayer whose business includes the production of natural resources, such as oil, gas, other liquid hydrocarbons, or sulphur, (a) which are sold by the taxpayer prior to refining or processing, or (b) which are transported by the taxpayer into or from the state of Louisiana for refining or processing prior to sale and at the time of production or transfer into or from this state have an ascertainable market value, the Louisiana net apportionable income of such taxpayer shall be computed as set forth below.
a. The gross apportionable income of the taxpayer from sources in Louisiana shall be determined by dividing the activities of the taxpayer into three classes:
i. the production of natural resources;
ii. the marketing of refined or manufactured products; and
iii. all other activities.
b. The Louisiana gross apportionable income from the production of natural resources shall include:
i. sales of natural resources produced in Louisiana and sold in this state;
ii. the market value, at the time of transfer, of all natural resources produced in this state and transferred by the taxpayer to another state for sale, refining, or processing, provided that if the natural resources are sold by means of an "arm's length" transaction prior to refining or processing, the market value prescribed herein shall not exceed the selling price; and
iii. the market value, at the time of transfer, of all natural resources produced by the taxpayer in Louisiana and transferred to a refinery or processing plant of the taxpayer located in Louisiana.
c. The Louisiana gross apportionable income from the marketing of refined or manufactured products shall be the amount of gross sales of such products in this state. From such gross sales there shall be deducted, in lieu of the usual deduction for cost of goods sold, the market value of the products sold as of the time of transfer into this state. In determining the market value, the customary prices for the quantities transferred shall be applied.
d. The Louisiana gross apportionable income from all activities in this state other than the production of natural resources and the marketing of refined or manufactured products shall include all sales and other apportionable revenues derived in this state from such other activities.
e. The net income of the taxpayer from each of the three classes of income set forth in §1132.C.5.b, c, and d shall be determined by deducting from each such class of gross income all allowable deductions directly attributable to the production of such income and a ratable part of all allowable deductions which are attributable in part to the production of such class of income.
6. For the purpose of this Section, a natural resource shall be deemed to be sold in Louisiana if it is located in this state at the time title thereto passes to the purchaser.
7. In the absence of specific proof of the value of natural resources at the time of transfer from or into this state, the value of the natural resources at the time of production, to be determined in accordance with the methods prescribed for the determination of "gross income from the property" for purposes of percentage depletion under R.S. 47:287.745(B), shall be deemed to be the market value at the time of transfer.
D. Change from Separate Accounting to Apportionment Method. A taxpayer who has obtained permission to use the separate accounting method, or who has been required by the secretary to use that method, shall continue to use that method for succeeding taxable years until a change occurs in the nature of the taxpayer's operations which would warrant a change in accounting method. When such a change occurs, the taxpayer shall report the facts to the secretary not later than 30 days after the close of the taxable year in which the change occurred. If the secretary finds, on the basis of the facts reported by the taxpayer or otherwise obtained by the secretary, that the apportionment method should be used, the taxpayer will be notified to use that method for the year in which the change in operations occurred. The apportionment method shall then be used until a change is made pursuant to R.S. 47:287.94.